


Unfamiliar

by 360loverpenguin



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Episode: s01e04 The Warriors of Kyoshi, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Sukka Week 2020, Unfamiliar doesn't mean bad or good. Only different.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26228011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/360loverpenguin/pseuds/360loverpenguin
Summary: Suki tried to fight off the way her heart fell at that. She crossed the few steps lying between herself and her bed, throwing her back against the soft blankets. Oh. He wasn’t her soulmate. She blinked, her eyes unnaturally dry and burning.Any feelings she may have had didn’t matter. Not now. After all, the rational part of her brain reasoned, it wasn’t like she'd ever see him again anyway. She pulled her blanket slowly up to her face; there wasn’t a point in wasting her time on someone who wasn’t her soulmate.
Relationships: Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	Unfamiliar

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompts 'Missing Moment from Canon' and 'Soulmates' for Sukka Week 2020!! I've always loved soulmate aus, and really loved diving into Suki's character for this one. Enjoy!!

Suki sighed, stretching the sore muscles in her arms up over her head as she finally managed to fall back into her room. She gently set her fans down on the worn wood desk that was fitted to one wall, practically throwing herself into the chair. She roughly rubbed her palms against her eyes, not caring that she was likely smearing the red paint everywhere. It had been hours since the Fire Nation ship had reluctantly retreated, but Suki was only now able to seize a moment’s rest.

The Avatar - Aang, she recalled - had luckily managed to quell most of the fires that had been inflicted on her village. Even if it had been in the most bizarre way possible. Suki had never guessed that living near the Unagi, of all things, would prove useful. But, that had still left the responsibility of the aftermath to fall to her warriors.

There had been so many homes damaged by those soldiers. And a few injured as well. Even attempting to recount them all in her head made her sick. Suki hit her fist against the side of the table. How could those firebenders be so heartless? Could they not see the damage they were inflicting on the world? That they were hunting a literal child? She suddenly found a new drive to fight back against them; help save other villages from experiencing what hers had.

The Kyoshi Warriors had set up a temporary home for those whose houses needed to be rebuilt in the large town hall. (Though, maybe ‘home’ was a stretch). That, and tending to the burns several of the villagers (even some of her girls) had endured had been exhausting enough. Her tired sigh deepened at the thought of the physical repairs she’s have to see to in the morning.

Suki reached out for the cloth she used to clean off her face paint, long stained with shades of red. Honour. Still, Suki thought, slowly working the damp cloth along her cheeks, she didn’t regret allowing the Avatar and his friends to stay in their village. Kyoshi had stood for justice, and she would too. It hadn’t been his fault the Fire Nation followed him. Plus, it had given her a small taste of the world beyond her small island’s borders.

They were fighting for something much bigger than she ever had, and it made her want to be a part of it as well. Help people worldwide; ones she’d never met who couldn’t stand up for themselves. She liked that thought.

It had been what Aang, Katara, and Sokka were chasing after. It gave her the first flicker of hope in a long time for a better, more connected world.

Her lips curled up into a faint smile at that thought. As she forced herself to move to her feet, changing out of her heavy uniform, she allowed her mind to dance towards more positive ones. In all honesty, though it had inevitably ended with the firebenders attacking, the past few days had been some of the best, most freeing she could remember.

It had started when Sokka had insisted he was a superior warrior, and Suki couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the memory, even if it was now paired with a smile. She had shut that notion down quickly, just as she expected. After all, she’d seen his type before; egos far outweighing any skill they may have.

What she hadn’t expected was his apology. That was when she realized that maybe he wasn’t like all the others.

They had trained together the rest of that afternoon, banter nearly as sharp as their punches. He had surprised her with his dorky personality, that leaned more towards endearing than annoying, and she had surprised herself by asking him to grab dinner with her after their workout.

They had met at a local cafe just as the stars began to stamp the sky, and Suki could recall the way his light blue eyes had lit up with excitement when he found himself caught in a story, wide hand gestures always accenting his sentences. She only had a few days with him, and though she may not have known every detail, she couldn’t help but feel she knew who he was; once he had put aside the egomaniac guarding his surface.

Her cheeks flushed at that, and Suki knew it wasn’t just from the late fall air spilling in from her window. Heart starting to pick up slightly, she hastily threw her uniform to the side, turning over her hands to inspect them.

It was a well known fact throughout the four nations that when you met your soulmate, wherever your skin touched theirs, a faint glow would appear; easily pointing you towards your other half.

The smile slipped off Suki’s face. Her hands and arms, where she had spent hours fighting against Sokka with, were only lined with their usual, familiar scars. There was no glow.

Suki tried to fight off the way her heart fell at that. She crossed the few steps lying between herself and her bed, throwing her back against the soft blankets. Oh. He wasn’t her soulmate. She blinked, her eyes unnaturally dry and burning.

Any feelings she may have had didn’t matter. Not now. After all, the rational part of her brain reasoned, it wasn’t like she'd ever see him again anyway. She pulled her blanket slowly up to her face; there wasn’t a point in wasting her time on someone who wasn’t her soulmate.

——

Sokka all but dropped the firewood he’d been carrying into a heap on the ground. He stretched his arms up towards the golden rays of the setting sun with a yawn, basking in the warmth of the day’s final rays. They had finally managed to find a place far enough from Kyoshi to be safe, and Sokka was eager to finish making camp. Three days training nonstop, plus an impromptu run in with the jerkbender tended to leak tiredness into a person.

“I’m heading to bed,” he tossed over to his sister and Aang, already fetching his sleeping bag from Appa’s saddle. He set it a few feet from the yet to be lit fire, ready to fall on top of it and let the rough ending of the day wash away.

“Aren’t you gonna wash your makeup off?” Aang teased, giggling at his own joke.

Confused, Sokka reached up to his cheek, thick white paint rubbing off to coat his fingers. Oh. He was still in the warrior face paint. He hadn’t realized. After all, he reasoned, grumbling a retort to Aang as he begrudgingly headed towards the river, he was so used to his own tribe’s face that donning the colours of the Kyoshi Warriors had felt familiar to him.

HIs legs ached as he tread the path towards the small stream. At the reminder, he allowed his thoughts to drift back to the islanders. To Suki.

A twinge of guilt struck at him. They’d left them to fight the battle on their own. And though Sokka knew she was well able to fight for herself (a fact she’d painfully reminded him of), he still wished they could’ve stayed to help in some way. Even though that likely would’ve meant handing Aang over to the angry freak with the ponytail.

They’d made the only decision they could’ve. And it wasn’t fair.

Wasn’t fair to him that he’d had to let go of one of the first friends he’d ever had. Wasn’t fair to Aang, to always be on the run. Wasn’t fair to Suki, to bear so much more responsibility than she’d let on at such a young age. He sighed; he knew the feeling.

After this was all over (assuming they won, and Sokka wasn’t fully willing to consider the alternative), maybe he could see her again. Visit Kyoshi Island and see more of the places she’s told him fondly about; even if it meant getting shown up in training. Again.

He missed her laugh, how it was loud like his, but gentler. And the way their conversation had flowed so easily, despite meeting for the first time. She was fun to be around, he decided, and he’d like to get to know her more.

Sokka remembered the night before, and how she’d taken him on a short hike up a forested hill just outside the village to stargaze. He’d tried to point out the constellations his dad had once shown him, but it turns out the stars are different wherever you travel. Suki had laughed at that, and they settled for whispering under the light of the vast universe pouring out above them.

A smile was now etched onto his face along with the makeup as he leaned over the crystal water, so clear his reflection was painted onto its’ surface effortlessly. Closing his eyes, he pulled up a handful of water, scrubbing it unceremoniously against his face, paying special attention to the darker red paint around his eyes.

It took a few repetitions to wipe the physical reminder of their times away with only water, but soon enough, he felt the familiar weight dissipating. He flicked his eyes open, gazing down at his reflection to ensure it was gone, eyes taking a moment to adjust to the sudden influx of light.

He blinked. Sokka rubbed at his eyes once more, heart rate hammering against his chest quickly. As he took in his appearance once more, he couldn’t help but allow his smile to grow into a wide grin. He pressed his hand gently to the glowing spot lingering on his cheek; where Suki had kissed him.


End file.
